NHL, NHLPA fight over Olympics insurance issues

The NHL and NHL Players Association are drawing out the battlelines for a war.

The league says players that go on the ice for Olympic orientation camps aren't properly insured. The Canadians and Americans have both increased their coverage, but it still falls far short.

If a player is injured during an orientation camp on-ice session, there's the possibility his contract might not be covered and he could be suspended by his team if he can't pass a physical at training camp next month.

"We have not sent any memo to any club on the Olympic orientation camps, nor have we provided any advice to the clubs," said NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly. "We have merely confirmed to the Players Association that absent the acquisition of insurance to cover the remaining value of a player's contract as is contemplated by Article 24 of the CBA (and is typically provided for Olympic and world championships participation), activities undertaken in the orientation camps will not be deemed to be engaged in pursuant to the player's NHL standard players contract. For their own good and valid reasons, neither the IIHF nor any of the individual associations have purchased insurance to cover the players in these camps.

"That's not the NHL's problem, and it shouldn't be the NHL clubs who are required to bear the risk for something they are not even involved in or have oversight over. This is not a change in policy. We took the same approach to orientation camps in both 2002 and 2006."

High profile agent Allan Walsh said he doesn't believe the league's policy is fair and that Olympic participation should be encouraged.

"The league has indicated players' NHL contracts are not guaranteed in the event of injury at a summer Olympic orientation camp. While Article 24 of the CBA specifically guarantees NHL contracts for world championship and Olympic participation, the league has informed the NHLPA that summer Olympic orientation camps do not fall within Article 24," said Walsh.

"My question is fairly simple: What happens to a player's NHL contract if he suffers an injury at one of these camps? I was told the NHL club will suspend the player on the first day of training camp and refuse to pay him."

Officials with the NHLPA won't comment. The union hasn't specifically told players to not go on the ice for the camps, but it has warned them about the risks involved if they step on the ice.

"It is disappointing that players are being asked to participate in on-ice orientation camps that provide limited insurance coverage for their NHL contracts. Players that step on the ice will do so at great risk," said a league source.